


When You Love Someone

by valenlimes



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Awkward Dates, Fluff and Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Lies, Love at First Sight, M/M, Matchmaking, jaehyun is whipped, matchmaker! doyoung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 20:46:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15670995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valenlimes/pseuds/valenlimes
Summary: Gone are the days of booty calls and being stood up. With Kim Doyoung’s foolproof compatibility testing, a positive connection between two eligible singles is 99.95% guaranteed.The things you do for love...





	When You Love Someone

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> First of all, I would just like to thank you for all the love on my other ffs. It means the world to me to see such positive feedback!
> 
> Okay, so this is the first fic I have written that isn't about NCT Dream so bear with me. I don't know how to deal with adult emotions but I love dojae and I thought this idea fitted them perfectly.  
> Jaehyun is a bit of a fuck boy so just ignore that, he is sweet underneath I swear.
> 
> Just ignore the weird ages in this fic, I know they don’t match up properly to their ages in real life, but I gave myself some creative liberty. 
> 
> this fic was meant to be done like three days ago but look who procrastinated haha  
> its ironic because i wrote this to procrastinate writing my other huge Dream fic that I promised two weeks ago but it is nowhere near finished sorry 
> 
> btw, Taeyeon's character is inspired by the drama What's Wrong With Secretary Kim because it is fantastic and Secretary Kim is a legend. 
> 
> also minor note: I did use Lisa as the reporter only because I saw her in the du du du du mv and I thought it fitted, I have nothing against her as a person. 
> 
> anyways, enjoy!

For many, the search for love is a long and troublesome one.  
With the rise in popularity of dating applications such as Tinder and eHarmony, many young singles put their heart on the line for a chance of meeting the one. Unfortunately, many individuals will be easily swayed by the allure of an easy hookup, hoping for a positive outcome in the long run.  
This is where Doyoung comes in. With a passion for romance and a degree in human science, Kim Doyoung considered himself to be the nation’s leading relationship expert.  
So, armed with his knowledge on love and a considerable inheritance left to him by his late grandmother, Kim Doyoung set up ‘Love Line’ – the leading dating service of the modern day.  
Gone are the days of booty calls and being stood up. With Kim Doyoung’s foolproof compatibility testing, a positive connection between two eligible singles is 99.95% guaranteed. 

 

|

 

Kim Doyoung had it all – his company’s market share was skyrocketing, outstanding media success and an ever-growing profit margin. He was a millionaire by the age of 26 and had earnt every cent of it doing what he loved  
However, during his conquest to bring others together, Doyoung had neglected one very important thing. 

Kim Doyoung, 26 years old, matchmaker extraordinaire, had never been in a relationship.

 

|

 

“So Jeno,” Doyoung smiled warmly at the young male sitting before him. “I take it the date went well?”  
Jeno grinned and shifted forward in his seat, white leather chair groaning under the weight. Doyoung made a mental note to buy new chairs. “Better than okay Doyoung, they were perfect!” He sighed in bliss and flopped backwards.  
Jeno was, of course, referring to the date Doyoung had sent him on with two eligible singles in their system, Renjun and Jaemin. With a common interest in dance and eating fried chicken, Doyoung already knew that the three males were compatible. The good news didn’t surprise him.  
He smiled again, keeping his expression cool. “I am glad to hear that Jeno. Make sure to continue updating the progress of your relationship on our website so we can keep our system up to date.”

“Will do. Thanks again Doyoung!” The younger male bounced out of the chair and shook Doyoung’s hand enthusiastically.

“I am glad I could be of assistance.” He watched as Jeno practically skipped out his office. 

Doyoung leant back in his chair and turned on his tablet, ready to view Jeno’s profile. It wasn’t often that he got to match three people together, and he had to admit, it was very exciting to see how enthusiastic Jeno was about the idea of polyamory.  
Doyoung loved love. He suppressed the giddy giggle that threatened to bubble out from his lips as he updated the three (no longer) singles’ profiles. 

There was a knock on the door as Doyoung’s secretary entered the room. Taeyeon smiled and bowed politely as she excused herself for interrupting his work.  
“Mr Kim, your next appointment is here early. I was wondering if you want me to send him in?” 

Doyoung looked at his watch. 2:38 PM. Indeed, they were almost 20 minutes early. Doyoung was a stickler for punctuality and he was impressed that the client had arrived so soon.  
“Sure, I wasn’t busy anyway.”  
Taeyeon bowed again before exiting. 

A minute or two later, there was another knock on the door. A tall male with light brown hair and pale skin entered. His body proportions were godly and the dimple that appeared on his cheek as he smiled in greeting was so adorable that Doyoung wanted to cry a little bit. Dressed in a pale blue business shirt and black slacks, the client managed to look casual and professional at the same time. Doyoung admired the view. He was going to have so much fun matching this one. 

“Kim Doyoung, how do you do?” Doyoung stood and leant over his glass desk, extending a hand for the male to shake. 

“Jung Jaehyun and I am good, thank you.” He smiled again, dimple re-emerging. “Nice office.” He looked around the room. 

“Thank you, I designed it myself.” Doyoung was indeed proud of his work. The floor-to-ceiling windows and light colour scheme gave the room a clean and inviting feel. He had spent a lot of time reading interior design magazines in order to make the final decision on the layout. 

“You have good taste.” Jaehyun’s eyes flicked up and down Doyoung’s form. 

Feeling his cheeks heating under Jaehyun’s intense gaze, Doyoung scrambled to make conversation. “Mr Jung, what can I do for you today. I take it you wish to set up a profile with Love Line?”

“Please, call me Jaehyun. And yes, I need your assistance. My sister said you are the best in the business.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that…” Doyoung preened himself on the compliment. He already knew this to be true but it was still nice to receive the positive praise.  
“So Jaehyun,” Doyoung pulled up a new profile on his tablet and entered Jaehyun’s name. “Birthday?” 

“14th February 1997. I’m 25.” 

“Oh, a Valentine's baby.” Doyoung smiled. It was ironically perfect. Someone born on the most romantic day of the year is having difficulty finding love. 

Jaehyun chuckled. “Yeah, ironic, right?” 

Doyoung simply nodded and continued to fill out the rest of his profile, asking questions about Jaehyun’s height and weight, interest, likes and dislikes, and ideal date. There was also the awkward topic of dating history and any sexual preferences, but Doyoung liked to rush through that as quickly as possible. He still had PTSD from that one time when a client would _not stop_ talking about his foot fetish kink. He shuddered internally.  
Luckily for the both of them, Jaehyun’s past relationships weren’t messy; he had just been out of the game for a while and was having bad luck in finding a date. 

“Okay… and one more question.” Doyoung looks up from the tablet screen. “If you were a fruit, which one would you be and why?” He was completely unfazed by the incredulous look that flashed across Jaehyun’s face. It was a weird question, Doyoung knew that, but it was an important one. 

“Uhhh…” Jaehyun stared blankly out the window. “I think I would be an orange.” 

“Okay~” Doyoung tapped the screen a few times. “And why are you an orange Jaehyun?” 

“Because I like them?” Jaehyun shrugged. “Sorry, I have never really thought about this kind of thing before.” 

Doyoung smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, you aren’t the first. I had a client ask me if they could be a vegetable instead because fruit was scary. He got matched with a guy who described himself as a fruit salad.” He wasn’t really supposed to be disclosing personal information of his other clients, but Doyoung felt that it would help make Jaehyun more comfortable and therefore enable Doyoung to make a more accurate match. 

“Scared of fruits?!” Jaehyun bellowed, a full-bodied laugh escaping from deep inside his chest. It was a delightful and extremely contagious sound.  
When they both finished wiping the laughter-tears from their eyes, Doyoung began assessing his compatibility with other singles in his system. Being young, intelligent and good-looking, it wasn’t surprising to find that he had a high match rate with the other clients in his system. It also helped that Jaehyun was open to all sexualities, further broadening his pool of possible partners. 

“Okay, so Jaehyun looks like you have plenty of choice. How about we start with this one?” Doyoung turned the tablet for Jaehyun to see. “Kang Seulgi, 28, enjoys singing and she has a successful career as a meteorologist. She has one of the highest compatibility rates with you.” 

Jaehyun grinned. “She looks great. Older – I like it.” And just like that, Jaehyun had a date for that Friday. Kang Seulgi had been contacted about the news and was equally as eager. Jaehyun left the office that day sporting an enormous smile and the promise to keep Doyoung updated on the status of his relationship, and schedule another follow-up appointment sometime in the week after.

Doyoung had to admit, he may have patted himself on the back after Jaehyun left his office. He had a good feeling about this one. Better than that one time when he introduced two clients and then a week later they were married, and he considered that to be the highlight of his career. 

 

|

 

Doyoung fake smiled as the cameras flashed. The studio lights were ridiculously hot and the designer suit he was wearing did little in the means of ventilation. This was the least favourite part of his job, the press work. He knew it was all part of the success package and you couldn’t have one without the other, but still, his cheeks were hurting and this was the 5th reporter he had to play nice within the last three hours. 

Said reporter – Lisa from ‘The Look: Korea’ – was twirling a lock of blonde hair between her fingers as she fluttered her eyelashes at Doyoung. Normally he would be flattered to be getting such appreciative looks from someone as pretty and put-together as Lisa, but he was feeling the sweat start to pool and he really didn’t feel like going for _another_ make-up touch up. It’s not like it meant anything anyway – Lisa just wanted information and a fat bonus from her boss if her article made the front page. 

Lisa smiled, flashing her perfectly blinding teeth in the direction of both Doyoung and the camera at the same time if that was even possible. It was the kind of smile that a shark would give to its prey, calculated and vicious. Reporters were like that – manipulative.  
“How do you do it, Mr. Kim? CEO of one of Koreas fastest growing companies, millionaire and professional matchmaker all by the age of 26? There must be a trick to your success.”  
She crossed her long legs even tighter, hiking her already non-existent skirt even further up her thighs. _It’s all for the information,_ Doyoung told himself as he checked his expression, making sure the polite but neutral smile was still fixed to his face.

“Well, the only trick I have is hard work, Lisa. Anyone can do anything they set their mind to as long as they give it their all. I am no magician, I worked for my success.” 

“Ah, how inspirational Mr Kim” Lisa seemed unimpressed with his answer and quickly lined up her next question for an attack. “Surely, with such an extensive knowledge on relationships, you must have had plenty of experience. Do you have anyone special waiting for you?”  
Doyoung chuckled. He knew the question was going to come up at some point. Reporters normally avoided the topic due to his reluctance to disclose any information about the private topic in the past, but this was ‘The Look: Korea’, and they didn’t mess around.  
“Well Lisa, I am afraid I have nothing exciting to say, unfortunately. It’s all work, no play for me.” He turned to the camera and winked playfully. “Unless you count playing cupid for all the wonderful singles out there of course.” He gagged internally at the statement, but he had an image to uphold and his publicist Yuta had insisted that a flirtatious persona best suited the vision of ‘Love Lines.’  
And so, the interview continued on, Lisa pressing further and further with increasingly more intrusive questions. He disclosed his diet and workout routines, what cologne he liked to wear and his favourite restaurant for dates. Lisa was halfway through asking him about any unfortunate sexual experiences he had had in the past when Doyoung interrupted as politely as he could, saying that they had run out of time for the interview. 

“Well, on behalf of ‘The Look: Korea’ and myself, we thank you for giving up some of your precious time in order to divulge some of the secrets to your success to our audience today. It was a pleasure to spend time with you.” Lisa flashed her teeth again, red mouth curving into a catlike grin. They shook hands before she stood and sashayed out of the room, blue high-heeled boots clicking against the concrete floor of the studio. Doyoung nearly cried with relief. He had never been so glad to go back to his office in his life.  
It was only 4 PM and he still had a solid four hours of work ahead of him before he could go home and change out of the godforsaken suit he was wearing, but at least he was in the comfort of his office, where he had nothing to do but match people and listen to Taeyeon talk about his upcoming appointments. 

Speaking of, Doyoung looked up from the paperwork he was reading as Taeyeon bowed before him, black hair falling over her shoulder. “Mr Kim, your 5:30 appointment is here to see you. He is early again.” Doyoung perked up at that. “Also,” she leaned in, lowering her voice so only he could hear. “I have arranged for your favourite spa treatment for later tonight. You look like you need a de-stress.” 

Doyoung groaned in relief. “You always know exactly what I need, Taeyeon. Thank you.” He could have hugged her in that moment. “Send the client in, please.” He waved her off with a smile. _Good old Taeyeon. I knew hiring her was a good idea._ Doyoung had the best hunches. He gave himself another pat on the back.  
Positive praise was essential for keeping one’s sanity. 

“Hello again.” The glass door to his office slid open again and a familiar figure stepped into the room. Clad in a simple cream sweater and black jeans, Jung Jaehyun was as much of a model as ever. His dimples were on full display, so Doyoung naturally assumed that he had, once again, arranged the perfect date. 

“Ah, Jaehyun. Good to see you.” He smiled and gestured to a chair. “Please, have a seat.”

“Nice to see you Doyoung.” Jaehyun’s eyes sparkled with mischief, deliberately dropping the formal language in favour of Doyoung’s real name. 

“Doyoung?” He raised his eyebrows. 

“Sorry, _Mr. Kim._ ” Jaehyun apologised, but something in Doyoung’s gut told him that he didn’t really mean it. 

“I assume the date with Ms Kang went smoothly?” Doyoung leant back in his chair, fully taking in Jaehyun’s expression. It was pleasant.

Jaehyun laughed quietly. “Oh no, it was terrible.” 

Doyoung’s heart stopped for a second. Did he just hear that right? Did Jaehyun just say it was _terrible_? Surely not, he was never wrong about these things. 

Crap had he just said that out loud? 

“Oh, you heard me right Mr Kim. It was awful. We had nothing in common at all and it was extremely awkward.” Jaehyun appeared to be completely unfazed by the outcome of the date. Doyoung, on the other hand, was prematurely greying. His system was foolproof.

Doyoung swallowed his pride. “Maybe… there was a mistake? With the system? I can match you up with another client if you wish Mr Jung.” Jaehyun was younger than him, but formalities seemed necessary in the current situation, considering Doyoung had quite possibly just tarnished his own reputation if news of the failed date leaked out.

“Oh, so I am a Mr. now too, Doyoung?”

“Yes, Mr Jung.” Doyoung felt so humiliated. His client was turning him into a submissive mess. “Another date or no?”

“Another one won’t hurt. Who have you got for me?” Jaehyun scooted forward to see Doyoung’s tablet. He scrambled to pull up a file of another possible match. 

“Seo Youngho, American, 29. He is a high-school teacher.” Doyoung showed the profile of the handsome foreigner. “You mentioned on our last meeting that you lived abroad for a while? Maybe you can find something to talk about surrounding that?” He added hopefully. 

“Sounds good. When can I meet him?”

 

Doyoung watched for a second time Jaehyun leaving the white serenity of his office. He prayed to the relationship gods that it would go smoothly and he wouldn’t have to change the accuracy statistics on his website. 

 

|

 

“Doyoung, you need to get some!” Yuta slammed his wine glass onto the table so hard that Doyoung thought he had broken it. He was once again being lectured on the fact that he was 26 and had never been in a relationship before. Back when they first met at ages 22 and 23, Yuta had found it adorable that the young relationship tycoon had never found love. But as 22 turned into 24, and 24 turned into 26, he was getting progressively more worried about Doyoung’s chances in the love market if he kept putting the wellbeing of his clients before his own. Not to mention there was negative comments swirling around about the reliability of dating advice from someone who had no experience. 

“For the last time, Yuta! My job is more important and I have don’t have time!” Doyoung whined. He had heard the lecture so many times he could practically quote it off by heart, and it was very boring to listen to at this point.  
Yuta didn’t get it. He liked to watch people fall in love, not fall in love himself. He was shy and blushy around people he was interested in, a very different person to the professional businessman image that he normally projected.  
Yuta already had a thriving relationship with his long-time boyfriend Lee Taeyong, international music producer and a close friend of Doyoung’s (try to guess who introduced them).  
It wasn’t like Yuta understood the appeal of the single life anyways. Doyoung personally quite enjoyed. It was hypocritical, yes, and extremely ironic but it wasn’t like Doyoung cared. His work was more important and the happiness of his customers was always the number one priority. 

“But still!” Yuta whined. “You have been on dates before. How hard is it to find another one? You are the most eligible bachelor in Seoul, the ladies are practically climbing the walls to get you to even _look_ at them!” He scoffed. 

“Just because I have been on dates in the past doesn’t mean I wish to go on one right now.” He hissed angrily as the waitress brought their food over, smiling politely as he thanked her. 

Forking a huge mouthful of spaghetti alfredo into his mouth, Doyoung fixed Yuta with an adamant glare.  
Yuta just rolled his eyes and continued to spew nonsense about Doyoung and his lack of love life. Doyoung simply ignored him, turning his attention back to the food and wine. The restaurant was quiet, low lighting. It was a pretty intimate setting, and Doyoung made a mental note to add it to his files as a good place for a dinner date.  
Looking around the room, there did appear to be many couples enjoying a meal together. In the back corner, a young blonde woman and a handsome man were deep in conversation. a few tables over, a glamorously dressed elderly couple were tittering behind their napkins.  
Over by the window, there were two young men laughing about something one had said. One male, tall and good looking with a sweeping fringe of dark hair, leant forward to spoon feed the other a mouthful of his lasagne. The one being fed, with light brown hair and a set of dimples adorning his white cheeks, blushed, pale colouring doing nothing to disguise the pretty rose flush. 

Doyoung watched the adorable scene, basking in the beauty of young love. The males looked vaguely familiar – something about the pale blue dress shirt the blushing male was wearing… wait. 

 

Was that Jaehyun?!

 

Doyoung blanched at the sight of Jaehyun and his date, Youngho, sitting across the room. 

On a date. 

That Doyoung arranged. 

It felt extremely obtrusive. Doyoung sunk down as low in his seat as he possibly could, ignoring the curious look Yuta gave him across the table. He had never seen one of the dates in action, even though he would often fantasise about how they could possibly go. However, now he was here Doyoung found himself feeling extremely uncomfortable at the sight of the two males interacting. He was thrilled that the date appeared to be going well, but uncomfortable all the same. 

“Doyoung? Are you okay?” Yuta was clearly suppressing a smile as he watched his friend sink so low in his chair that he was almost on the floor. 

“Two of my clients are over there~” Doyoung whispered, jutting his chin in the direction of Youngho and Jaehyun. Yuta wasn’t the subtlest of people, so he had no qualms in turning all the way around in his chair and staring openly at the two males. 

“Wow, that’s awkward. Do you think they’ve seen you?” Yuta was grinning at Doyoung’s discomfort. 

“I sure hope not. Can we go?” He was hunched over the table now, trying to hide behind Yuta’s body.  
In the end, they signalled for the waitress and asked for the bill, getting their barely touched food to take-away.  
It was a painfully long process and Doyoung was growing more and more restless. When they were finally ready to leave, Doyoung hid behind Yuta once more as they attempted to creep past Jaehyun and Youngho without being noticed. Unfortunately, their table was right next to the door.  
Doyoung bolted out of the restaurant as quickly as he could, gripping onto Yuta like his life depended on it. He made it out of the restaurant and into the cool night air without being interrupted, _thank god._ He turned back to the restaurant, only to remember the floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the street. Jaehyun was staring right at him through those windows, face expressionless. Doyoung froze, locking eyes with the younger male. The only thought that was running through his mind was _shit, shit, shit._

“Doyoung, let’s go!” Yuta grabbed his bicep and dragged him down the street, away from the restaurant. Jaehyun still maintained the eye contact as he watched Doyoung being pulled along. 

Doyoung didn’t fully relax until he was in the safety and comfort of his town car. Yuta bullied him the whole way home about it, but Doyoung wasn’t listening. All he wanted to do was get into a bubble bath and finish off the rest of his pasta, before drowning his embarrassment in a bottle of ridiculously expensive wine. 

 

|

 

Doyoung groaned, head thumping. He was really regretting drinking the whole bottle of wine by himself the night before. He was always a lightweight. Taeyeon smiled knowingly as she watched her boss collapse down onto his desk, cradling his head in his arms, before bringing in a double shot espresso with extra sugar and two Panadol. 

“Sir, your first client will be here in a half hour. Do you want me to delay?” 

Doyoung shook his head. “No thanks, the painkillers should have kicked in by then. Thank you, Taeyeon.” He gave her a weak smile of gratitude. This was going to be a long day. 

 

It had just gone 2 in the afternoon and Doyoung was feeling disgusting. His headache had returned and his skin was oily. The greasy fish and chips he had eaten for lunch weren’t helping, but Doyoung was hungover and he needed comfort food.  
He would have to ask Taeyeon to book an emergency appointment with his personal trainer for the next day. Maybe a facial too… 

Doyoung was pondering whether or not to ask for a massage later that evening when Taeyeon entered the room, announcing the arrival of the next client. They were early again. Doyoung’s heart skipped several beats at the new information. It stopped completely when Jaehyun stepped into the room, dressed impeccably, looking as handsome as ever. 

“Hello, Doyoung.” He smiled, eyes crinkling adorably. Doyoung was still embarrassed about the previous night at the restaurant, but he was also extremely fed up and hungover and wasn’t in the mood to grovel.  
Instead, he smoothed his shirt and crossed his hands in his lap. 

“Jaehyun, hello. I didn’t expect to see you so soon. How was the date?” He sits up a little bit straighter.

“Well, you should know. Considering you were there at the restaurant.” Jaehyun smirked charmingly. Doyoung’s heart was still beating into overdrive. 

“Ah… that. It doesn’t normally happen I swear. I wasn’t… spying or anything~” Doyoung cringed. 

“It seems that a lot of things have been going on with your work practices ever since I came to you for assistance.”  
“Yes. It would appear so. You appeared to be getting along well with Youngho, no?” Doyoung asked, hopefully. He really needed some redemption right now. 

“Oh no. It was a disaster. He was rude and had terrible manners.” Jaehyun rolled his eyes and then smiled.

All the blood drained from Doyoung’s body. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die. “B-but he was feeding you! You were blushing…” He spluttered.

“AHA! So, you were spying!” Jaehyun jumped out of his chair and pointed an accusatory finger at Doyoung. 

“WHa-!” Doyoung was blushing deep scarlet now. There was no going back now. “I only saw a little bit…” He looked down at his hands.

“Well, there is only one thing to do then. I wonder how the tabloids will react when they find out the number one dating expert in Korea isn’t so expert after all…” Jaehyun grinned devilishly. 

“NO!” Doyoung jumped out of the chair. He coughed, correcting his tone. “Please. I have worked so hard for this. I don’t know why your dates keep messing up but it doesn’t mean that my whole business is a scam. Please sir, just one more date.” He was grovelling and it was pathetic but Doyoung wasn’t in his right mind right now and he really didn’t want to lose his reputation.

“Sir?” Jaehyun puffed up at the title, looking pleased. “Say it again.” He commanded, pinning Doyoung with a wolfish gaze.

“Sir. Please.” Doyoung begged. He had been more humiliated in the past two weeks than he had in his entire 26 years of existence. 

“I like that.” Jaehyun grinned. “I suppose… one more date wouldn’t hurt.”

“Third times a charm,” Doyoung added weakly. The grappled for control over his emotions as he reached for the tablet sitting on his desk. This next date was going to have to be perfect. His reputation was on the line.  
He ran the matching application, holding his breath as all the results popped up on the screen. He nearly cried when a 97% compatibility matched showed up at the top of the list. There was no way that this date was going to fail. Not with odds like that.

“Dong Sicheng, Chinese. He is the same age as you and is a professional dancer.” 

Jaehyun shrugged. “He’s cute.” 

 

|

 

It was late at night and Doyoung was once again drinking (diet coke, don’t worry. He was not up for another hangover right now).  
He had been up since 6 AM and it was now 12:48 AM. He was running on fumes by this point. Doyoung was paranoid. He had barely slept the previous night or the night before that. He had begun obsessively checking his phone for the text message from Yuta telling him his career was going down the drain. Jaehyun had threatened him and frankly, Doyoung was a little bit scared that he wasn’t bluffing. 

Doyoung scrolled through his emails, refreshing it about six times to make sure he hadn’t missed any. A new email popped up in his inbox.

**To: doyoungkim@loveline.com  
From: kangseulgi23@kmail.com**

Mr Kim, 

I am sorry I couldn’t make it in for the follow-up meeting about the date you sent me on with Jung Jaehyun.  
I wanted to say thank you, it was absolutely amazing! He was so polite and we had so much in common. I swear we didn’t stop talking for even a second.  
How do you do it? 

The only problem is that I never got his number. I am not sure if you are allowed to divulge your clients’ personal information, and if not, do you think you could give my number to him? I would love to meet again. 

Thank you for your time, I know you are a very busy man. 

Sincerely,  
Kang Seulgi

 

Doyoung leant back, re-reading the email again. If he was not mistaken, Kang Seulgi was the single that Doyoung had sent Jaehyun on a date with the first time. 

Said date was supposedly awkward and nearly silent. 

Ms Kang clearly didn’t share the same mindset. 

So, either Seulgi was completely oblivious or Jaehyun was lying.

Doyoung instantly felt more relaxed, almost laughing in disbelief. Of course. Doyoung had eyes and he knew that he had seen Jaehyun enjoying his date with Youngho that night in the restaurant.  
He downed the rest of his coke in one gulp and shuffled off to bed. That night was the best sleep he had in months.

 

|

 

Three days later, when Jaehyun strolled into his office for the fourth time, Doyoung wasn’t about to have a heart attack. Not from fear of being blackmailed at least.  
Jaehyun’s appearance on the other hand… let’s just say it was lucky that Taeyeon had first-aid training and kept a defibrillator under her desk. 

“Jaehyun, hello again.” Doyoung smiled from his position in his desk chair, trying to school his face back into neutrality. He had his feet propped up against his desk and tablet in his hands, the epitome of calm, cool and collected. 

“What happened to Sir?” Jaehyun winked and Doyoung refrained from shivering. 

“It was a moment of weakness. I am a changed man now.” 

“Shame,” Jaehyun frowned, “I liked it.”

Doyoung could feel his cheeks heating up, and no amount of self-restraint was keeping them from flushing a deep red. “Anyways, the date with Sicheng?” 

Jaehyun laughed. “The poor guy barely knew a word of Korean and I spent the entire date trying to guess what he was saying based on hand gestures.” 

Doyoung frowned. He had checked Sicheng’s profile earlier and it had stated that he was fluent in Korean and he seemed to be able to communicate perfectly fine in their introductory meeting a few months back. Jaehyun was lying again. “So, the date was a flop?” he asked calmly. 

Jaehyun’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “You aren’t upset?”

Doyoung shrugged, internally deciding that now wasn’t the time to call Jaehyun’s bluff. “I am disappointed I suppose, but if you aren’t compatible then no amount of technology is going to be able to solve that. Maybe you are a ‘meet them the natural way’ kind of guy?” 

“Oh.” Jaehyun’s face fell. “So, you aren’t going to arrange another date?” 

“Not unless you want to. Other than that, I think it’s safe to say there is nothing I can do for you. If you wish, we can give you a full refund, please speak to Taeyeon – my secretary – on the way out.” He smiled his best ‘that’s-right-I-am-rich-and-powerful’ smile. 

Jaehyun frowned again, brow crinkling. “You aren’t going to grovel?” 

Doyoung sighed. “You sound disappointed that I am not freaking out about this.” He raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Jaehyun still had no idea about the email he had received from Kang Seulgi, so Doyoung currently had the upper-hand. Manipulation was fun. “And besides, grovelling is humiliating.”

“Well, I enjoyed it,” Jaehyun grumbled. They sat in silence for a bit, Jaehyun fidgeting with his sleeve and Doyoung sitting in his chair, face set with cool expectation. 

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Jung?” Doyoung smirked at the sight of Jaehyun’s ears perking up by being addressed formally. It was so easy to please the younger male. 

Jaehyun sat up straighter in his chair as if he was preparing himself for something. He cleared his throat, face returning to its usual relaxed expression. “Doyoung. You have to go on a date with me.” 

Doyoung nearly choked on air as he shot up out of his chair. “What?!” He stared incredulously at Jaehyun. 

“What?” Jaehyun smirked. “All of the dates you have sent me on have failed, why don’t I pick a date for myself for once?” 

Doyoung silently cursed Jaehyun for being right. He also silently cursed his stomach for fluttering in the way that it was. 

“What do you say Doyoung? Are we compatible?” Jaehyun held out a hand. Doyoung couldn’t help but think that he looked like a Disney prince at the moment.

“Uhhh.” Again, Doyoung was great at setting other people up, but when it came to his own love life, he was pretty much useless. He told Jaehyun this, and the younger laughed.  
“Well, what do you think? Go on a date with me Doyoung?” 

Doyoung was blushing beyond red at this point. He contemplated calling security to escort Jaehyun out in order to save his dignity, but something clawed at the corner of his memory.  
_“Date someone Doyoung, you are lonely – trapped in that princess tower of an office. Besides, it’s not good for your image, being so single.”_ Bloody Yuta, why did he have to be knowledgeable on these things? 

“Fine, I will go on a date with you, but it’s for scientific purposes only, and you aren’t allowed to emotionally blackmail me anymore.” He grumbled. Jaehyun’s face split into a breathtaking grin that made Doyoung think that maybe the date wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Great! Give me your phone number and I will organise it. I am not letting you do anything – we are doing this the ‘natural’ way.” Doyoung handed his phone over and they exchanged numbers, Jaehyun leaving the office after a quick (and slightly impromptu) hug and the promise of texting later that night. 

 

|

 

“Taeyeon! I need you!” Doyoung shouted through the doorway to where his secretary was doing whatever secretaries did. 

“Sir?” Taeyeon quirked an eyebrow as she entered Doyoung’s bedroom. 

“I need your opinion on my outfit~” He looked bashfully down at his shiny leather dress shoes. Doyoung wasn’t very good at dressing himself for any occasion other than work unless his stylist Mina was on hand.

“Oh… sir.” Taeyeon tried to mask her smile, amusement mingling with embarrassment and disappointment at her boss’s outfit.

“Is it really that bad?” Doyoung turned to look at his reflection in the mirror. He thought the orange tie and blue dress shirt combo was very fashionable – Taeyeon clearly disagreed.

“Well… here.” She chuckled as she walked over to his open wardrobe, picking out a cream turtle-neck sweater and black jeans. She held up two jackets – a blue denim and black wool trench coat. “Which one sir?” Doyoung pointed to the black. “Good choice.”  
Doyoung brightened at the praise. He felt like he had contributed to the outfit, even though Taeyeon had picked it out for him. 

 

“Very nice sir.” Taeyeon clapped as Doyoung gave a little twirl in the outfit after getting changed. She looked down at her watch. “Mr Jung should be here soon, sir, do you want to wait downstairs? Or should I open the door so you can descend the stairs?” She winked cheekily. If Doyoung was a bad boss he would have fired her for that, but instead, it just made him want to give her a pay rise. 

He pressed his hands to his cheeks in an attempt to quell the blush threatening to form. “Would it be too much? He won’t find it weird?” 

“Maybe we should just wait downstairs then sir.” She smiled before exiting the room. Doyoung followed after her, making a mental note to give Taeyeon the rest of the week off as a ‘thanks.’ 

There was a loud banging on the door as they were halfway down the staircase. Taeyeon gasped quietly and darted down the rest of the steps (in stilettoes mind you) in order to check who it was. “Jaehyun sir!” She whispered, beckoning for him to come closer. He took a few calming breaths as he stuck his hands in his pockets and stood as casually as he could behind Taeyeon. She opened the door. 

Jaehyun looked stupidly handsome. His honey brown hair was effortlessly ruffled, and the jeans and blazer combo over a white shirt showed off his impeccable body perfectly. Doyoung wanted to crawl into a hole and die at the sight of him. He even had flowers – a stunning arrangement of peonies and pink carnations, Doyoung’s favourite.  
He gasped in delight at the sight of them. “Jaehyun!” He nodded in greeting, too breathless to say anything else. 

The younger male grinned, dimple flashing. “Doyoung, you look amazing.” Jaehyun took a step back to admire Doyoung’s outfit, simmering gaze raking down every inch of his slender frame. 

Doyoung’s pathetic attempt to mask the flush racing up his neck was clearly noticeable, as Jaehyun laughed quietly at his flustered expression. “Thanks, Taeyeon picked it out.” He gestured to his secretary, only to find that she was no longer beside him. “Taeyeon?” He looked around, just catching the shine of a patent high heel disappearing into the kitchen. He turned back to Jaehyun in bewilderment. The male laughed before offering the bouquet of flowers to Doyoung, who gasped again. “These aren’t even in season! How did you manage to find them?” He buried his nose in the soft petals, inhaling the delicate aroma.  
“I have a friend who works at the national art museum. They had these shipped in for an exhibition opening but there was some left over.” Jaehyun smiled. “I am glad you like them.”

“They are my favourite.” Doyoung placed them gently down on a nearby table for Taeyeon to put in water. 

“And I didn’t even need a compatibility profile to know that.” Jaehyun teased before offering Doyoung his arm. “Shall we?”

 

|

 

The theatre was stunning. The design mimicked historical architecture from Europe, with a rich colour palette of reds and golds, brocade and diamonds dripping from every available surface. Jaehyun had bought them tickets to see an opera – Madame Butterfly to be exact.  
Doyoung admitted that it wasn’t something that he normally would have picked for a first date, but he was thrilled none the less.

The opera was beautiful and Doyoung loved it, so much that he cried multiple times out of happiness. Secretly, Doyoung loved to sing. Before he wanted to become a businessman, he had aspired to be a singer. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to pursue singing vocationally because he was too busy with Love Line, but it didn’t mean that the passion had dwindled in any way. 

Noticing Doyoung’s tears, Jaehyun smiled tenderly before taking the older male’s slender hand in his own.  
Doyoung whipped his head around to face Jaehyun’s, mere inches apart. He looked down at their clasped hands and squeezed gently as the music escalated into a crescendo.  
Feeling Jaehyun’s breath ghost across his skin as they maintained eye contact was enough to send goose bumps racing down Doyoung’s skin. Jaehyun’s eyes flickered to Doyoung’s lips and then back to his eyes, asking for permission. Doyoung coughed awkwardly and turned back to the stage where a portly woman was belting out the final, tear-jerking note.  
He squeezed the hand in his, hoping it would suffice as an apology. 

 

|

 

Apparently, the theatre also served as a 5-star restaurant. Who knew? When the opera had finished, Jaehyun lead a still sniffling Doyoung through a set of glass doors into a lavishly decorated dining area.  
A snooty looking waiter directed them to a table in a corner, away from the rest of the patrons. The low lighting and golden glow from the candelabras lining the walls turned Jaehyun’s honey brown hair a golden colour, dripping in candlelight.

“Did you enjoy that?” Jaehyun asked, leaning forward to prop his chin up with a hand. 

“If you couldn’t tell by the way I was crying like a baby, yes – I loved it.” Doyoung grinned in a self-deprecating manner.

“I am glad.” He picked up a menu. “Anything you want? It’s my treat.”

Doyoung gagged when he saw the prices. “$30 for garlic bread? Jaehyun no, this is crazy!” He may be a millionaire but Doyoung loved a good bargain, and this food was no bargain.  
The younger laughed and leant over the table to grasp Doyoung’s hand. “Please let me do this. I like feeling like a gentleman for once.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Doyoung quirked an eyebrow inquisitively. 

“Well…” Jaehyun’s cheeks coloured slightly. “I have sort of managed to get myself a bit of a reputation.”

“You’re a player!” Doyoung shrieked, earning him a very annoyed look from the waiter who had served them earlier. 

“No Doyoung shh. It’s not like that…” he trailed off, rubbing the nape of his neck. If Doyoung wasn’t so busy deciding whether to continue laughing or run straight out of the restaurant, he would have been ogling at Jaehyun’s impressive bicep. 

“Well, what is it like then sir?” Doyoung teased, knowing full well what affect the title had on Jaehyun. 

Jaehyun shivered unintentionally. “I don’t normally, uh, court? I am known as more of a hands-on guy?” 

“Oh, so you are a nail-em-and-leave kind of guy?” Doyoung giggled. It wasn’t a good reputation to have, but frankly, he was willing to overlook it if Jaehyun continued to be _this good._

“If that’s what the kids call it these days, then yes, I am that kind of guy.” Jaehyun looked away bashfully, cheeks now stained scarlet. “I promise I am not trying anything with you though Doyoung. I really do want to get to know you.”

“Don’t worry I figured as much. If you wanted to fuck you probably would have done a lot more than just hold my hand back there in the theatre.” Jaehyun choked. “Relationship expert, remember? I know everything there is to know.”

Jaehyun smiled. “Yeah, right.” 

They ordered food. Doyoung tried his best to find something both reasonably priced and substantial on the menu. After a solid 5-minute search, he gave up and settled on a $90 pasta – simple, delicious and ridiculously expensive. 

They talked so much. Doyoung had never managed to maintain a conversation for this long in his life. Jaehyun told him everything, and Doyoung did the same. By the end of the first hour, Doyoung felt as if he had known the younger male for his whole life, and the food hadn’t even come yet. 

Jaehyun was a freelance photographer who had worked for some of the biggest companies in the world. He had spent the last six months on a hiking expedition to photograph Snow Leopards in China for National Geographic Magazine. Doyoung gasped in amazement as Jaehyun listed off all the places he had travelled. Doyoung had only ever been outside of Korea twice, and that was to go to Japan, so he wasn’t the most experienced in travelling. 

“Wait, so why are you back in Korea? Shouldn’t you be off photographing blue whales in Puerto Rico or something?” 

Jaehyun chuckled. “No, I am taking a break from travelling for a bit. I got offered a huge contract with a gallery here in Seoul and they want me to stay in town for a while so I can work on my portfolio.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. You make my life sound so boring.” Doyoung sighed, thoroughly impressed. 

“What! You are the creator and CEO of one of the biggest companies in Korea right now! And not to mention you are… ah what did they call you… the most eligible bachelor in Korea? Was that right?” 

“Hey!” Doyoung slapped him on the arm gently. “Don’t make fun.”

“I would never. But can I just say, you totally live up to your name? I was not disappointed when I walked into your office that day.” Jaehyun smirked playfully. 

“You sound like you wanted me all along.” Doyoung winked. 

“Who’s to say I didn’t. I know what I like.” Jaehyun grinned, canines flashing in the candlelight. Meanwhile, Doyoung was dying for the billionth time that night. 

“What about the dates! You paid money!”

Jaehyun laughed quietly. “Can I tell you a secret?”

Doyoung leant forward. “Sure.”

“The dates weren’t flops. I just pretended like they were so I could keep coming back to see you.” Jaehyun leaned back in his chair, proud of himself. 

Doyoung, on the other hand, was restraining himself from jumping out of his chair in triumph. “I knew it!” He all but shouted. 

“What?” Jaehyun’s brow crinkled in confusion. 

“Oh, did I forget to mention? The lovely Kang Seulgi sent me a beautiful email thanking me for setting her up with such a perfect date. She never got your number though…” He smirked at the shocked expression travelling across the younger’s face.

“Wait so you knew all along! You could have saved me so much trouble!” Jaehyun whined. 

“Where’s the fun in that? And besides, I only found out after your date with Youngho. I wasn’t sure why you were lying either, so I thought it best not to bring it up.”

“Ah, this is so embarrassing!” Jaehyun hid his face in his hands. 

“Don’t do that!” Doyoung scolded as he waved Jaehyun’s hands away. They both laughed again, faces a matching shade of pink. “But why though?” 

“Uh. I saw some interview you had a few months ago and I thought you were the most perfect person I had ever seen?” Jaehyun giggled like a schoolboy. “I had been single for a while and I thought I might as well give it a go…” 

Doyoung just grinned. He decided that his opinion had changed now and that being in love was so much better than watching other people be in love. 

They finished the rest of their outrageously expensive meals, feet playing footsie under the table (cute I know, but what can I say, they were fully mature 25 and 26-year-olds). 

They made it back to Doyoung’s house, just in time to catch Taeyeon on her way out as she went back to her own home. She winked at Doyoung as she passed by the two males on the driveway, wishing them a good night. 

 

“Sooo… this, is it?” Jaehyun rocked back and forth on his heels as they stood in the entrance hall of Doyoung’s house. “Yeah, I suppose it is. Thank you for an amazing night Jaehyun.” Doyoung beamed up at the younger male.

Jaehyun took a step closer, so their faces nearly touching. Their chests bumped as Jaehyun took a deep breath in. “Doyoung… can I kiss you?” 

Doyoung inhaled sharply before nodding. He had been waiting for this since the moment Jaehyun had stepped into his office that first day, he had just been to tunnel-visioned to see it.

Pressing their lips together, Jaehyun’s hand came up to cup Doyoung’s cheeks, soft and sweet. His lips were slightly chapped from the cold and tasted like the expensive wine they had drunk at the restaurant. Doyoung couldn’t get enough so when Jaehyun pulled away after a few moments, Doyoung found himself following his lips. The younger smiled before leaning back in, this time with more urgency and fervour. Doyoung groaned slightly at the pressure, wrapping his arms around Jaehyun’s neck in order to get closer.  
They continued like this for a while, panting breaths hot against one another’s skin. 

It was safe to say that Jaehyun didn’t go home that night, but don’t tell Taeyeon because she would have a fit about the state of the bedsheets.

 

|

 

“Hello, Doyoung.” Jaehyun strode into his office, camera slung around his neck and two coffees in his hands. 

Doyoung grinned and rushed over to press a deep kiss onto his boyfriend’s mouth. It had been a week since they had announced to the tabloids (with Yuta’s help) their relationship status and Doyoung had never been happier. The stocks in his company were up by 5% and he now had a very handsome and talented photographer to do some new marketing shots for their fall advertising campaign. Doyoung had decided to reinvent the company, focusing now on the ‘natural’ approach rather than statistics.

Taeyeon had been given a promotion and was now head of operations for Love Line. Doyoung had gotten a new secretary, a chirpy young male called Mark, who laughed at inappropriate times and always seemed to forget that Doyoung took sugar with his coffee, but he didn’t care too much – he was only learning after all.

Yuta was having a field day (more like field week) with all the extra publicity the company was getting because of the dating announcement, and he was constantly busy arranging press conferences and interviews for the happy couple. 

Jaehyun was just happy that he had finally got the man of his dreams, even if it did take three unsolicited dates to get him. 

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, Kim Doyoung, no longer Korea’s most eligible bachelor. With years of experience under his belt, one would think it easy for him to find a lovable partner to spend the rest of his life with. However, it is proven that despite all the fame and fortune, Kim Doyoung is still a regular person just like you and me, and he too faced ups and downs in his quest for love.  
One thing is for sure though, and that is Doyoung is now fully able to live up to his name as the relationship expert due to the addition of real-life experience being added to his resume.

**Author's Note:**

> so you made it haha  
> good job.
> 
> did you see how I rushed the ending and completely dodged the smut all-together because I am a prude and I cannot write it for the life of me lol someone help.
> 
> leave a comment if you enjoyed or just if you want a chat!
> 
> furthermore, should I make a twitter? so I can update about the fics and stuff?
> 
> EDIT: I made a twitter [@valenlimes](https://twitter.com/valenlimes)


End file.
